AlexeiIrene has already moved the rug three times, changed the angle of the coffee table twice, and now she’s standing in the middle of the room with her hands on her hips, staring at the couch like it personally offended her.I lean against the wall, arms crossed, watching her.“You’re gonna set that couch on fire with your eyes.”She gives me a look. “I don’t like it there.”“Yeah, 'cause it’s halfway to the hallway,” I point out, stepping forward. “Let’s move it.”“Okay, but-”Before she can finish, I’m already gripping one end. “You get that side. Let’s put it near the window. Feels more... cozier.”She nods, flustered, brushing past me to grab the other end. Our hands bump briefly as she reaches for the corner, and she pulls back like she touched a live wire. Cute.“You okay there?” I ask, not bothering to hide my grin.“Yeah. Just... static,” she mutters.“Sure.”There’s already a scatter of books and picture frames on the floor and now Irene’s standing in front of the bookshel
AlexeiThere’s this weird kind of pull I can’t explain. Like something invisible hooks into my chest and just tugs me toward her. I don’t even notice I’m moving at first. It’s not on purpose. My body just… follows her. Follows the feeling.She’s right there, sitting close enough that I can see the way her lashes dip when she looks down and the small crease between her brows. Her lips are parted just a little. My gaze drops to her mouth for a second. I don’t mean to, but I can’t help it. It’s like something about her pulls every part of me in, and I swear I feel that pull under my skin, like a low hum that gets louder the closer I get.I lean in a little more. Not sure what I’m doing, not thinking, not planning, just caught up in this moment that feels way too big for how small the space between us is. I don’t touch her. I don’t speak. I just hover there, close enough to catch her breath mixing with mine, waiting to see if she’ll move away.She doesn’t move away. As if she is also in
AlexeiThe silence in the house isn’t peaceful. Not even close.It’s thick, tense, crawling under my skin like it’s trying to choke me out. She hasn’t said a word in what feels like forever.And it’s driving me insane.I’ve dealt with people’s emotions before. I’m not the guy who snaps or says the wrong thing when someone’s crying or yelling or shutting down. But Irene’s silence? It’s on a whole other level.Why the hell does she affect me like this? More than I want to admit. More than I can even begin to understand.When Stella rejected our bond, yeah, it stung. But just Irene's silence is maddening.It’s something deeper, messier.I’m two seconds away from calling out her name when I hear the soft creak of her door. She walks out, and just like that, there she is again. Calm. That kind of calm that doesn’t make sense. Her face is unreadable, and it only fuels the fire inside me.“You alright?” she asks, like everything’s normal.That question breaks whatever I’ve been holding in.“
AlexeiAsk me to jump into a battle with a thousand rogues, and I wouldn't even blink. I'd dive in without thinking twice. But sitting here, trying to talk to Irene? It feels like the hardest damn thing I’ve ever had to do.I’m running the words through my head, trying to make sense of them. How do I explain something that never made sense to me in the first place? How do I tell her about Stella… and the truth behind what that bond really is or isn’t?I glance at her, hoping for some kind of reaction. Anything. But her face is calm. Too calm. Like she shut a door and locked it from the inside. And I feel it, that invisible wall between us. It’s there, cold and thick, and it’s messing with my head more than I want to admit.I rake a hand through my hair and drop my head, letting my hands rest behind my neck. I breathe in deep, hoping it’ll help settle the tightness in my chest. Then I lift my head and catch her holding the union crystal I placed beside me earlier. Her fingers are wrapp
AlexeiNormally, at this time, I’d be out. Either running patrols, overseeing the morning training rounds, or caught up with Mikhail in some pack issue that needs fixing. But not today. Today, I took the day off.I told myself it’s just so Irene doesn’t feel left alone on her first real day here, and maybe that’s partly true. Sophia even offered to spend the day with her, give her the pack tour, make it a “girls' day” kind of thing. But the moment she said that, I knew it would have made Irene uncomfortable. She is too polite and kind to say no, but inside, she would have been anxious all the time. So, I turned the offer down, nicely, and stayed.But that’s not the whole truth.The real reason I’m staying in today is that I’ve been meaning to talk to her. About everything. About Stella. About my mate bond with her. About what it meant… and what it didn’tShe deserves to know the whole picture. I can’t let her think I’m hiding things from her.I know I should’ve told her before the un
AlexeiHer laugh echoes around us, loud and wild and completely unfiltered, and damn if it doesn’t do something to me. Her whole face lights up, cheeks flushed, eyes crinkling, and for a second, the weight she carries just melts off her. That glow on her face... it loosens something in my chest, something tight that I didn’t even know was wound up. My wolf perks up too, proud like we’ve done something right just by getting her to let go.I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything this honest... this pure before.I think maybe Sophia was right. Everything probably just hit Irene all at once. The changes, the new place, the people, the chaos, it’s been a lot. I didn’t see it at first, but it makes sense now, why she suddenly pulled back. I thought I’d messed something up, but no... she just needs time to settle in. To breathe. I’m glad I stopped by Sophia’s before grabbing groceries. I didn’t think asking her for advice would help this much, but it did.Irene needs space to feel safe. And I